3rd Special Operations Squadron

The 3rd Special Operations Squadron flies MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft and is currently located at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The squadron is under the command of the Air Force Special Operations Command.

3rd Special Operations Squadron
MQ-1 Predator as previously operated by the squadron
Active	1918–1919; 1919–1944; 1952–1958; 1968–1969; 1976–1991; 2005–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Unmanned Special Operations
Part of	Air Force Special Operations Command
Garrison/HQ	Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico
Motto(s)	Pro Patria Pro Liberis Latin
Engagements	World War I Vietnam War War in Afghanistan^[1]
Decorations	Presidential Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm^[1]
Insignia
3rd Special Operations Squadron emblem (approved 5 May 2006)^[1]
Patch with unofficial 3rd Air Commando Squadron emblem
1st Photographic Section emblem (approved 23 July 1932^[2]

History

World War I

Organized in France in April 1918, the Photographic Section No. 1 processed aerial photographs taken by flying units working with the I Corps (American) and the French 38th Army Corps, 5 April–November 1918.^[1]

Inter-war years

The 1st Photographic Section, from September 1919 until becoming the 3rd Observation Squadron on 1 June 1937, processed aerial photography of associated observation squadrons in Texas.^[1]

World War II

At Langley Field, Virginia, the squadron engaged in aerial observation work with the Coast Artillery School until April 1942. It supported ground forces on maneuvers during 1942, and served as a training and demonstration unit January 1943 – February 1944. The squadron was not manned or equipped, 1 Mar – 2 July 1944.^[1]

Strategic Reconnaissance

Activated again in May 1952 under Strategic Air Command as part of its global reconnaissance mission. The squadron did not receive its first aircraft until 1 July 1953, when it immediately began familiarization training, followed by in-flight refueling training in February 1954. It received Boeing RB-47E Stratojet aircraft in March 1954, and conducted its first long-range mission (6 planes to Alaska for 10 days) in May 1954. The squadron deployed at RAF Upper Heyford, England, 14 September – 3 November 1954. Some of these flights were mounted from Thule in Greenland and probed deep into the heart of the Soviet Union, taking a photographic and radar recording of the route attacking SAC bombers would follow to reach their targets. Flights which involved penetrating mainland Russia were termed SENSINT (Sensitive Intelligence) missions. One RB-47 even managed to fly 450 miles inland and photograph the city of Igarka in Siberia. It photographed numerous Air Force bases and American cities, 1954–1958, and participated regularly in SAC exercises. Missions flown on a reduced scale after February 1958 when events showed the vulnerability of the RB-47 to Soviet air defenses and the development of the U-2 aircraft. Became non-operational, 15 April – 1 July 1958. when it inactivated.^[1]

Vietnam War

As the 3rd Air Commando Squadron in South Vietnam, it absorbed resources of the 14th Air Commando Squadron. It flew combat missions in Douglas AC-47D gunships in close air support of ground forces, providing flare illumination and gunfire in support of strategic hamlets, outposts and friendly forces under night attack. From 16 February – 1 May 1969, all squadron aircraft were maintained on ground alert when not flying, due to the Tet Offensive. It began transferring its gunships to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force in June 1969 and flew its last mission on 7 August 1969.^[1]

Electronic warfare training

The 3rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron was not equipped with aircraft. Rather, it operated Camp O'Donnell, Philippines, the Pacific Air Forces Electronic Warfare Range, the Crow Valley Aerial Gunnery Range, and associated facilities. It provided realistic conventional, tactical, and electronic warfare training in a simulated combat environment during Cope Thunder exercises. These exercises provided combat training for fighter aircrews of not only the U.S. Air Force, but also fighter crews of the US Marine Corps, US Navy, and allied air forces in the western Pacific area. Following the eruption of Mt Pinatubo in June 1991, personnel were evacuated, and the squadron remained unmanned until its inactivation.^[1]

Special operations

Provided remotely piloted aircraft support to special operations forces, 2005 – present.^[1]

Lineage

Photographic Section No. 1

• Organized as Photographic Section No. 1 on 4 April 1918

Demobilized on 3 July 1919

Reconstituted and consolidated with the 1st Photographic Section as the 1st Photographic Section on 23 March 1924^[3][4]

3rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron

• Authorized as the 1st Photographic Section on 15 August 1919

Organized on 27 September 1919

Consolidated with Photographic Section No. 1 on 23 March 1924^[4]

Redesignated 3rd Observation Squadron on 1 June 1937

Redesignated 3rd Observation Squadron (Medium) on 13 January 1942

Redesignated 3rd Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942

Redesignated 3rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 August 1943

Disbanded on 2 July 1944

• Reconstituted and redesignated 3rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium on 9 May 1952

Activated on 28 May 1952

Inactivated on 1 July 1958

Consolidated with the 3rd Special Operations Squadron and the 3rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron as the 3rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron on 19 September 1985^[3]

3rd Air Commando Squadron

• Constituted as the 3rd Air Commando Squadron and activated on 5 April 1968 (not organized)

Organized on 1 May 1968

Redesignated 3rd Special Operations Squadron on 1 August 1968

Inactivated on 15 September 1969

Consolidated with the 3rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron and the 3rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron as the 3rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron on 19 September 1985^[3]

3rd Special Operations Squadron

• Constituted as the 3rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron on 13 May 1976

Activated on 15 May 1976

Consolidated with the 3rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron and the 3rd Special Operations Squadron on 19 September 1985

Inactivated on 30 September 1991

• Redesignated 3rd Special Operations Squadron on 20 October 2005

Activated on 28 October 2005^[3]

Assignments

• I Corps Observation Group, April 1918
• First Army Observation Group, November 1918 – April 1919
• Unknown, – 3 April July 1919
• 1st Wing, 27 September 1919
• 1st Surveillance Group, c. 12 November 1919
• Eighth Corps Area, June 1922 (attached to 1st Cavalry Division)
• 2nd Division Air Service (later 2nd Division Aviation), 24 March 1923 (attached to 1st Cavalry Division until June 1926)^[5]
• Eighth Corps area, 15 February 1929 (attached to 2nd Division)^[5]
• 3rd Attack Group, 8 May 1929 (attached to 2nd Division until 1 October 1930,^[5] then to 12th Observation Group)
• 12th Observation Group, 31 October 1931
• Eighth Corps Area, 1 March 1935 (attached to 12th Observation Group until 1 June 1937)
• Third Corps Area, 20 June 1937 (attached to Coast Artillery School)
• Coast Artillery School, c. 1939
• I Air Support Command, 1 September 1941 (attached to Coast Artillery School)
• 73rd Observation Group, 12 March 1942 (attached to Coast Artillery School until 5 April 1942)
• Second Air Force, 12 August 1942 (attached to II Ground Air Support Command)
• IV Ground Air Support Command (later IV Air Support Command), 7 September 1942 (attached to II Ground Air Support Command (later II Air Support Command) until 23 September 1942)
• Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics, 21 January 1943
• Air Support Department, AAF School of Applied Tactics (later, Tactical Air Force, AAF Tactical Center), 18 February 1943 (attached to 432nd Observation Group (later 432 Reconnaissance Group 432 Tactical Reconnaissance Group), 27 Mar – 1 November 1943)
• Tactical Air Division, AAF Tactical Center, 4 January 1944
• Orlando Fighter Wing, 20 February 1944
• AAF Tactical Center, 28 March–2 July 1944
• 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 28 May 1952 – 1 July 1958
• Pacific Air Forces, 5 April 1968 (not organized)
• 14th Air Commando Wing (later 14 Special Operations Wing), 1 May 1968 – 15 September 1969
• 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 May 1976
• 6200 Tactical Fighter Training Group, 1 January 1980 – 30 September 1991
• 16th Operations Group (later 1st Special Operations Group), 28 October 2005 – present^[3]

Stations

Ourches Aerodrome, France, 4 April 1918 Detachment at Flin, France, 15–28 June 1918 Saints Aerodrome, France, 29 June 1918 Detachment at Ourches Aerodrome, France, until c. mid-July 1918 Francheville Aerodrome, France, 9 July 1918 Ferme de Moras Aerodrome, France, c. 25 July 1918 Lizy-sur-Ourcq, France, c. 4 August 1918 Coincy Aerodrome, France, c. 10 August 1918 Chailly-en-Brie, France, 13 August 1918 Toul, France, 24 August 1918 Remicourt Aerodrome, France, 19 September 1918 Julvecourt Aerodrome, France, 3 November 1918 Vavincourt Aerodrome, France, c. 28 November 1918 Colombey-les-Belles Aerodrome, France, c. 5 May 1919 Port of embarkation, France, May–June 1919

Garden City, New York, c. 20 June – 3 July 1919 Fort Bliss, Texas, 27 September 1919 Kelly Field, Texas, 2 July 1921 Fort Bliss, Texas, 24 June 1922 Fort Sam Houston, Texas, 22 June 1926 Brooks Field, Texas, 31 October 1931 Langley Field, Virginia, 20 June 1937 Desert Training Center (Camp Cooke Airfield), California, 22 April 1942 Blythe Army Air Base, California, 30 May 1942^[6] Keystone Army Airfield, Florida, 21 January 1943 Alachua Army Airfield, Florida, 3 February 1944 Orlando Army Air Base, Florida, 6 Mar – 2 July 1944 Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio, 28 May 1952 – 1 July 1958 Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam, 1 May 1968 – 15 September 1969 Camp O'Donnell, Philippines, 15 May 1976 – 30 September 1991 Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, 28 October 2005 Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1 June 2008 – present^[3]

Aircraft

Included B-10, L-2, and apparently 0–25 and 0–43 during years 1937–1942 North American O-47, c. 1938–1942 Stinson L-1 Vigilant, 1941–1942 O-52 Owl, 1941–1942 L-4 Grasshopper, 1942 P-39 Airacobra, 1943–1944 A-20 Havoc, 1943 DB-7 Boston, 1943

L-2 Grasshopper, 1943 L-3 Grasshopper, 1943 YRB-47 Stratojet, 1953–1954 RB-47 Stratojet, 1954–1958 B-47 Stratojet, 1958 AC-47 Spooky, 1968–1969 MQ-1 Predator, 2005 – present MQ-9 Reaper, 2014–present

Notable former members

• John Levitow

References

Notes

1. Dollman, TSG David (17 October 2016). "Factsheet 3 Special Operations Squadron (AFSOC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
2. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 23–24
3. Lineage, including assignments in Dollman, except as noted
4. Clay, p. 1369
5. Clay, p. 1267
6. Wilson, p. 128

Bibliography

• Clay, Steven E. (2011). (PDF). Vol. 3 The Services: Air Service, Engineers, and Special Troops 1919–1941. Fort Leavenworth, KS: Combat Studies Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-98419-014-0. LCCN 2010022326. OCLC 637712205. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Wilson, Art (2008). Runways in the Sand. Blythe, California: Art Wilson. ISBN 978-0-615-21889-2. OCLC 316309702. LCC D769.85.C21 B598 2008